'The Howl' is a tradition that USU should keep, students say

By Nicholas Peterson

October 20, 2008 | Students have generally positive feelings about USU's annual Halloween party, The Howl .They gave their thoughts about the alcohol, drugs, and even sex present at USU's huge party and whether it is actually as fun as some previous students claim. Some say they went to The Howl not knowing what to expect .

Jules Morrow, a sophomore majoring in music therapy, said she was not satisfied with The Howl after she attended the event last year. She said it had been built up for so many years as an amazing party where everyone had a blast. Morrow said this was not the case with her experience.

"I think The Howl is overall a good idea," Morrow said, "but it was too crowded, hot, and not worth the money I spent on tickets. I could've had way more fun without spending any money at all. If they're going to charge that much, it should be the fun party everyone expects, and it wasn't for me."

When asked if she felt that The Howl promoted drinking or sex to students at USU, Morrow said she felt Halloween in general promoted those things, but The Howl wasn't making anything worse than it would have already been. She said if people want to drink or have sex they are going to do it, and a party isn't going to change what they do.

Candace Brady, sophomore majoring in English education is a dancer on USU's contemporary dance crew, Full Circle. She was a dancer at The Howl last year and will be doing the same this year. Brady said she expected The Howl to be full of drunk kids and nearly naked students but it wasn't that way.

"There were some people who were drunk, and some people were dressed scandalous, but the whole thing is overplayed," Brady said. " I was actually surprised by how many people weren't dressed inappropriately."

Brady went on to say that overall The Howl is a good thing for USU to have. She said it has way more of a positive effect on campus and students rather than a negative. The Howl was meant for students to come and have fun, she said, and it would be bad thing if it ever came to an end.

Matt Bury is a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, and he had a similar feeling about the Halloween bash. He said it was a really good experience for him and the group of friends he attended the event with.

Bury, who was dressed as a pirate, said he did see a lot of provocative costumes, mostly worn by females. He said he didn't care about the way people were dressed because he knew what to expect beforehand. He also said he felt that a stricter dress code would be impossible to enforce for The Howl.

Bury was asked if he felt The Howl promotes the use of drugs or alcohol among students. He said The Howl doesn't help the problem of drugs and alcohol, but it doesn't make them worse either. If people are going to do those things, he said, they will do them whether there is a party or not. He said on Halloween many students are looking to have a good time, and The Howl is somewhere for them to go and have some fun or just let loose.

"The Howl is something that should always continue at USU because the positive benefits definitely outweigh the negative aspects of the whole night." Bury said, "There is sweet dancing, partying, and costumes. It is really fun thing that USU does, and it's patriotic because we're celebrating an American holiday."

Out of the USU students that were interviewed, most felt The Howl was something that should always be a part of USU. Although some expressed problems with the night, and things they wished would go differently, there was general consensus that it isn't promoting anything harmful. Most students said if others were going to drink, use drugs, or engage in sexual activities, they would do it whether The Howl took place or not.

Students wanting to get more feedback and opinion from others, or even express their own feelings about The Howl, can visit the Howl opinion blog . This is a place for comments and concerns to be expressed, and anyone can say what they think about USU's Halloween party.

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